The use of blow-molded plastic containers has become commonplace in packaging beverages and liquid, gel, granular, or other products. In the packaging of beverages, especially juice, blow-molded plastic PET containers are particularly useful in the so-called "hot-fill" process, i.e. filling the containers with beverages at an elevated temperature, sealing the containers, then allowing the beverage to cool.
Blow-molded plastic containers use vacuum flex panels to provide sufficient flexure to compensate for changes in pressure resulting from volume changes caused by temperature changes of the container contents, while maintaining structural integrity and aesthetic appearance. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,937 issued to Prevot et al., and owned by the assignee of the present application, discloses the use of vacuum flex panels in a hot-fillable, blow-molded container.
Some containers require the use of handles to afford the user an easier ability to lift the container and/or pour its contents, preferably with one hand. Smaller sized containers, such as 64 ounces and less, generally do not need handles because a consumer can grasp the sides of the container to manipulate the container with one hand. However, larger containers, such as gallon containers, may require some form of handle in order for a user to control the container while lifting or pouring its contents with one hand.